Middle School - Grade 8
Lesson 2: Describing Nouns
Modifying with Verbs (Present Tense -는)
Adjectives vs. Action Verbs
In the last lesson, we turned "pretty" (`예쁘다`) into "a **pretty** flower" (`예쁜 꽃`). This described a *state*.
Now, we'll learn how to describe an *action* that is happening. We will turn "to eat" (`먹다`) into "the person **who is eating**" (`먹는 사람`).
The grammar for this is super simple: `-는`.
Conjugation Rules: Action Verbs (Present)
This form is attached to the **action verb stem**. (Note: This is different from `있다/없다`!)
Rule 1: Stem ends in a VOWEL
Add -는 to the stem.
가다 가 + 는 가는 (going / who goes)
Rule 2: Stem ends in a CONSONANT
Add -는 to the stem.
먹다 먹 + 는 먹는 (eating / who eats)
Rule 3: `ㄹ` Irregular
The `ㄹ` drops and you add -는.
살다 사 + 는 사는 (living / who lives)
Let's Build Sentences!
Verb: `먹다` (to eat)
Rule 2: `먹` + `는` = `먹는` (eating)
지금 먹는 음식은 비빔밥이에요.
(The food I am eating now is Bibimbap.)
Verb: `가다` (to go)
Rule 1: `가` + `는` = `가는` (going)
학교에 가는 학생이 많아요.
(There are many students going to school.)
Verb: `살다` (to live)
Rule 3 (`ㄹ` irregular): `살` `사` + `는` = `사는` (living)
서울에 사는 친구를 만날 거예요.
(I'm going to meet a friend who lives in Seoul.)
Coming Up Next...
You can now describe nouns in the present tense ("the person who **is eating**").
But what about the past? How do you say "the person who **ate**" or "the food I **made**"?
That's our next lesson!